To express the “solidarity of the whole of Europe”.. The Prime Minister of Spain visits Kiev

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he arrived in Kiev early Saturday for talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky, as his country holds the rotating presidency of the European Union.

Sanchez wrote on his official Twitter account: “I am in Kiev. I wanted the first chapter of the Spanish presidency of the Council of the European Union to be in Ukraine with Zelensky,” adding that he would express to him “Solidarity of the whole of Europe.

Sanchez arrived in the Ukrainian capital by train from Poland. He is scheduled to deliver a speech before the Ukrainian Parliament, and then meet the Ukrainian President.

Zelensky announced the visit on Thursday in a speech to European leaders gathered for a summit in Brussels. Zelensky highlighted the symbolism of the visit and the importance of the next six months for Europe. He added that it was time to start Ukraine’s accession negotiations to the European Union.

Speaking Friday in Brussels, Sanchez said: “The war in Ukraine will be one of the great priorities of our presidency, with a focus on ensuring unity on this issue among all member states.”

This is Sanchez’s third visit to Kiev since the outbreak of war with Russia in February 2022.

Sanchez is due back in Madrid on Sunday, where he will meet European Council President Charles Michel, a day before European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and a crowd of EU commissioners arrive in the Spanish capital.